THE Crediton Community Bookshop has been shortlisted for the Independent Bookshop of the Year Awards 2019 in the South West area.

Crediton Community Bookshop is a community-owned not-for-profit bookshop.

It is now in its fifth year of trading as a social enterprise and occupies its own premises in the heart of Crediton High Street.

Its award-winning schools outreach programme takes books (and the authors who write them) to visit more than 25 schools every year and devotes a fortnight to reading extracts of selected books to more than 3,000 school children to inspire books and reading to celebrate World Book Day.

The shop works closely with various local festivals and this year Macmillan Publishing and Crediton Hospital League of Friends are sponsoring the CCB’s "Big Town Read", which will run in partnership with the town festival in June.

This year will also see the opening of CredShed, a soon-to-be renovated vacant building behind the shop which will provide a co-working space and community hub to support and nurture local people, host exhibitions and events and inspire creativity, team work and friendship.

Dee Lalljee, the bookshop’s manager, said: "We are delighted to be shortlisted for this prestigious award and hope that it will help to highlight the important role of community businesses and let more people know about the shop and its activities."

Crediton Community Bookshop was purchased using a mortgage from Triodos Bank, a grant from community business champions Power To Change and by selling shares to local people.

PUBLIC INVITED TO VOTE

Practical and financial support for the renovation of CredShed has come from donors and grants from Devon County Council and the Coastal Recycling Community Fund, architectural services from New British Design.

The public is invited to vote for the Crediton Community Bookshop by using the link: https://www.thebookseller.com/tell-us-about-your-favourite-independent-bookshop .

The winner will be announced on May 13.